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Relics from the former power plant for the White Haven Sanatorium give the Powerhouse Eatery its character, said Marcia Maley, general manager.

"Everything's exactly where it's been for the past hundred years," she said, indicating the large boilers, pipes and fire doors that dominate the restaurant.

The Powerhouse opened in 1989, when owners John and Katie Scalleat transformed the former coal-to-steam power plant into a restaurant serving primarily Italian-American meals. The original brickwork, valves, coal chutes and water tank over the bar add a touch of history to the restaurant's decor.

The restaurant embraces the property's history, Maley said. The owners tried to preserve as much as possible. In addition to the industrial pieces, diagrams on the wall illustrate the volume of coal a bunker would hold. Other photos show the main buildings of the former sanatorium and mental health facility before it was razed. That part of the property is now home to a monastery.

Maley, of Mountain Top, said the rich history associated with the restaurant makes it an intriguing place to work. The proximity to the highway means they get a high volume of customers from all over the country. Once, when she called American Express to fix the credit card machine, the woman on the phone knew exactly where the restaurant was.

"And she lives in Georgia," Maley laughed.

The White Haven Sanatorium opened in 1907 to treat people suffering from consumption, now known as tuberculosis, according to the history provided by Powerhouse. As the disease spread, the power plant expanded. When the epidemic died down, the complex reopened as the Penn Hurst center to provide care for mental patients.

Space limitations soon came into play, and the patients were moved to the newly-constructed White Haven Center across the highway. The property stood vacant for many years after.

Today, the restaurant has an upscale yet casual feel, perfect for a business meeting or a troop of hungry kayakers on a road trip, Maley said. They have daily features, and their seafood and steak dishes are steady hits, she added. Those include a colossal crab au gratin, lobster tail, and hand cut filet mignon.

Most of the staff have worked together for several years, all enjoying the uniqueness of the restaurant's environment, Maley said. John Scalleat is definitely a hands-on owner, rotating between the Powerhouse and the other two restaurants the couple owns, she added.

"He works harder than anyone," she said.

kgaydos@citizensvoice.com, 570-821-2118Powerhouse Eatery

Location: I-80, Exit 273, White Haven

Hours: Monday, 4-9:30 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Contact: 443-4480, www.powerhouseeatery.net

Picture: The menu covers are made from old manuals found at the power plant.

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